


A Thundering Herd of Rhinoviruses

by LizAnn_5869



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluffy love sweetness, Pete's World, Rose is nursing him back to health, The Doctor is ill, West Wing references, it doesn't quite go as planned, tentoo's first cold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-27 04:35:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9965102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizAnn_5869/pseuds/LizAnn_5869
Summary: The Doctor has come down with his first cold ever, and Rose is taking care of her ill part-Time Lord.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For Legendslikestardust's prompt "rhinovirus".

Rose’s ears were assaulted by two simultaneous sounds: her mother’s ringtone and the Doctor sneezing repeatedly. “Mum...hi…..” She was interrupted by another string of sneezes.

“Well, Tony’s sick,” Jackie stated flatly.

“I think the Doctor is, too,” Rose sighed.

“Serves him right, dragging Tony out in the snow an’ lettin’ him catch a chill!” Jackie groused.

Rose defended the Doctor vehemently. “He did not get Tony sick from goin’ out to play in the cold, Mum, you're just lookin’ for a scapegoat!”

The Doctor snagged the phone from Rose. “Ypu do realize that the common cold is caused by the rhinovirus, likely picked up in that ridiculous bouncy castle place where you insisted upon having his birthday! It was virtual Petri dish of germs! We’re lucky we didn't pick up some vicious stomach bug while we were at it…..”

The Doctor's lecture was interrupted when he started sneezing repeatedly, while holding Rose's phone.

“I'll leave it to you to ring off, then,” Rose commented. “And sterilize my mobile once you've finished.” She calmly went to the cupboard to take out a can of chicken soup. 

“Man flu? What the bloody hell is that?” Rose heard the Doctor blurt. She snorted laughter, hoping he didn't hear. “Fine. Well, I didn't get your kid sick. Hope he feels better. “ He rang off, grumbling hoarsely, “She just doesn't get the concept that Time Lords rarely, if ever, get a common cold.”

“You're an uncommon Time Lord,” Rose commented. She handed him the bleach wipes.

“I know why they call it a rhinovirus, though. I feel like I've been trampled by a herd of thundering rhinoceroses. My throat is scratchy, my head is pounding….my nose….” He tried to inhale through his nose. “.....is swollen shut….I've never had a cold before, Rose. I don't know how I'll react to it.” He accepted her bleach wipes and attempted to sterilize her mobile. He looked miserable. She took the phone back, then felt his forehead. 

“You're hot,” she said.

“Thanks,” he joked, trying to smile bravely.

“That, too. But for now, you need to go rest on the couch and I'll keep an eye on you. Hopefully the Time Lord part of you will cure this quickly.”

He slunk to the lounge and collapsed onto the couch. Rose covered him with a soft blanket. He snuggled into it with a happy little moan. “Your mother said I shouldn't be judgemental about the bouncy house since I was playing as hard as Tony was.”

“She could have a point there, Doctor. I remember having to coax you out of the ball pit.”

He expelled a huffy breath, which morphed into a coughing fit. “Oh, this is going to be so annoying.”

“Would you like some chicken soup?” Rose asked. “Might make you feel better.”

“It might. Chicken soup broth is a mild anti-inflammatory, so it could alleviate some of my symptoms.”

Rose smiled at his lecture, then said, “And it makes you feel all warm and cozy when someone you love makes you some when you're sick. Mum always made it for me.” She headed back to the kitchen. “That's what it is. It might be anti-inflammatory, but it's the love that makes it work.”

The Doctor nodded. “You're absolutely right. Love in a bowl. That's how it works.” He thought for a few seconds about his conversation with Jackie. “Do you think I have man-flu, Rose?”

He heard her chuckle, which did not alleviate his worry.

“No, I'd say not. This is your first cold ever, so you don't know what it's gonna feel like. Now….the second time around...or anytime after that….and you're whining like you're about to die, maybe then. But you definitely get a pass for your first go.” He heard her rattling pots and pans around.  
She continued, “Now, Mickey….that was another story. He was always complainin’ when he was sick.” She affected a deeper, whining tone, “‘Everythin’ hurts an’ I’m dyin’, Rose.’ Every single time. Until a footie match came on and suddenly he was yellin’ at the telly.”

In the Doctor’s weakened state, (or at least that was his excuse to himself) he found himself a bit irrationally jealous of Mickey Smith, who was in another universe probably having his man-flu cared for by some other woman. “Did you make him soup?” he asked, trying manfully not to sound petulant.

Rose poked her head out of the kitchen. She was wearing a bemused smile, which told the Doctor that he hadn't been all that successful at not sounding like a jealous git. “I usually just microwaved him a can of soup. I'm makin’ yours on the stove and I threw in some extra noodles. Satisfied?”

“Extra noodles are good,” he murmured. His eyelids were heavy. 

“Turn on some West Wing and before you know it the soup will be ready.”

He did, and normally Josh and Donna could hold his attention, but he was under the weather. By the time Rose came out of the kitchen bearing a TV tray and soup, the Doctor had dozed off, snoring. 

Rose smiled at her part-Time Lord, snuffling and snoring under the soft blanket. Ah, well, I can always reheat the soup, she thought. Then she cleared her throat, trying to alleviate a suspicious itch. That effort morphed into a coughing fit. She decided she'd let him sleep and he could eat the rest of the soup in the pot. She was going to need this bowl herself, it seemed.

Twenty-four hours later the Doctor was greatly improved, but Rose was at her sniffling, hacking worst. This time he fixed her the ‘love in a bowl’ and they snuggled on the sofa together. They ate several bowls of soup and drank a full gallon of orange juice (“Vitamin C is good, Rose.”) and cheered for Josh and Donna when they finally snogged.

“It's about time he got his head out of his arse,” the Doctor announced during the second day of their sick day West Wing marathon.

“You do appreciate the irony of you being the one to say that, don't you?” Rose asked, raising her head up from her pillow long enough to shoot him a look. 

“Fine thing to say to the person who’s lovingly nursing you back to health,” he scoffed.

“I got sick nursin’ you back to health!” she helpfully pointed out.

The Doctor frowned, a look of guilt replacing his good humor. “Well...yes, and I'm sorry about that.”

Rose shushed him. “In sickness and in health still applies, even if we’re not married yet.”

He smirked. “Are you proposing?

“There will need to be a lot less mucus involved whenever that happens.” She gave him a shy smile. He grinned back.

“That'll be something to look forward to. Until then….”

“Still better with two, even when we're ill,” Rose agreed. The Doctor stretched out behind her, sharing her pillow. The West Wing ended and they began their rewatch of the X-Files. Despite all the illness, it was quite a pleasant day. They had to agree that as long as they were together, they could face anything. Even a thundering herd of rhinoviruses.


End file.
